Brasserie Jo   

59 W Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60654
312-595-0800
www.brasseriejo.com

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This casual, yet stylish French restaurant is a tribute to acclaimed chef Jean Joho's Alsatian heritage. The award-winning chef (1996 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant of the Year) is best known for his superbly elegant Everest restaurant on the 40th floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange building, but Brasserie Jo also holds its own with a menu that is refreshing and filling. The cuisine can be best described as Alsatian 'comfort food,' as Joho aims to serve the food he loved as a child. Start with classic Alsace-style pizza, onion soup with garlic croutons or the chicken liver mousse. And then move on to les plats du jour where he really puts his foot down. Come for the grilled lamb shank (Monday); veal wiener schnitzel with sauteed spinach (Tuesday); roasted sea bass (Wednesday); veal blanquette (Thursday); lobster bouillabaisse (Friday); beef tenderloin (Saturday) or the chicken pot au feu (Sunday). Stylish and bustling, Brasserie Jo's ambiance is reminiscent of Paris in the 1940s. The dining room is inviting with cozy cherrywood banquettes, a big train station clock behind the long zinc bar, tall backlit palm trees and sleek light fixtures. The enormity of the room lends a great joie de vivre to the space. For those who crave a little privacy, opt for the glass-enclosed winter garden with comfortable wicker furniture and a 20-foot Art Nouveau mural. Dine on fabulous French fare at this longtime River North eatery while your pet gets a comp dish of steak tartare, homemade biscuits and specialty ice cream for dogs. Outdoor patio only through June 30. -- Audarshia Townsend